seriocomic

Thân thiện

A seriocomic play makes the audience both laugh and think.

Definition

Adjective: 1. Blending serious and comic elements, with the comic tone being dominant: Describes a work, situation, or style that mixes earnest or grave subject matter with humor, where the humorous aspects are more prominent or frequent.

Usage and Examples

• Describing artistic works: Used to characterize novels, plays, films, or performances that tackle substantive themes but do so primarily through a humorous or satirical lens.
  • The film is a seriocomic look at the absurdities of modern office life.
  • Her seriocomic novel uses wit to explore themes of grief and family.
• Describing tone or style: Used to describe a manner of expression that is fundamentally amusing but touches on serious points.
  • The speaker delivered a seriocomic lecture on the history of political mistakes.
  • His seriocomic portrayal of the character added depth to the comedy.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• The term specifically implies that the comic elements outweigh the serious ones. If the balance were equal or the serious tone dominated, words like "tragicomic" or "darkly comic" might be more appropriate.
• It often suggests a thoughtful or insightful kind of comedy, one that uses humor to examine real human conditions or social issues, rather than pure, lighthearted farce.

Variants and Related Words

• Seriocomical (adjective): A less common variant with identical meaning.
• Tragicomic (adjective): Mixing tragic and comic elements. While "seriocomic" suggests serious-but-funny, "tragicomic" often implies elements of sorrow or misfortune interwoven with humor.
• Satirical (adjective): Using humor, irony, or exaggeration to criticize people's stupidity or vices. A seriocomic work may employ satire.
• Dramedy (noun): A portmanteau of "drama" and "comedy," describing a genre that blends serious and humorous elements, often in television or film.

Synonyms

• Comic-serious
• Humorously serious
• Lightheartedly earnest
• Semi-serious (though less precise)

Notes on Meaning

The core meaning of "seriocomic" is stable, referring to the hybrid of serious and comic. Its primary application is in literary, theatrical, and artistic criticism to categorize tone. It is not typically used to describe fleeting real-life situations, but rather crafted narratives or sustained performances.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. mixing the serious with the comic with comic predominating
   • a seriocomic novel

Từ đồng nghĩa

• seriocomical